Google I/O 2014 Roundup: What To Expect

Google’s annual developers conference takes place next week. Google I/O 2014 will welcome developers from all around the world, it takes place in the Moscone West Convention Center in San Francisco from June 25-26. There have already been countless reports about what the company is going to unveil at the event. Its expected to show off a mix of hardware and software, so here we roundup all that we expect to see from Google next week.

Android 5.0:

This seems like a no-brainer. Its a given that at every I/O conference Google talks about Android. The next major update for Android is expected to be unveiled. If rumors are to be believed it may be called Android 5.0, or perhaps even Android 4.5. As far as monikers go its believed that from KitKat Google will move on to Lollipop.

While it is not known for sure exactly what improvements and updates Google has made in the upcoming Android release, a recent report claimed that the next iteration will move from DALVIK to ART once and for all. The ART runtime will help conserve battery life and speed up app load times on the device. Support for 64-bit processors is also expected. A redesigned status bar for Android has also been rumored recently.

A more recent rumor also suggested that Samsung’s first Android Wear smartwatch might also be shown off at I/O. The Korean juggernaut hasn’t closed the door on Google’s new wearable platform and recent FCC filings show that perhaps it may have one such smartwatch up its sleeve.

There is also chatter about some Google Glass related announcements, particularly related to the consumer launch of Google’s very popular wearable device.

Google Fit:

Ever since Apple showed off Healthkit at WWDC 2014 there has been speculation about Google’s response. It was first reported last week that Mountain View’s answer to this is going to be in the shape of Google Fit. Expected to be detailed at I/O 2014, Google Fit is said to be a new health service which will collect and aggregate data from popular fitness trackers and health apps.

Google Fit may also rely upon data pulled from wearable devices, such as heart rate and steps, bringing smartwatches and fitness trackers into the new health-focused ecosystem.

Android TV:

There’s no denying the fact that Google TV flopped. Competing products like the Apple TV and Roku continued to extend their dominance in the meantime. So it was really a matter of time before Google bounced back. We first heard about Android TV earlier this year. Its said to be an entertainment interface that is designed to be cinematic, fun, fast and fluid. Apart from allowing users to easily stream movies and shows, Android TV is expected to come with support for Android apps and games as well.

Rumor has it that Google is going to build the Android TV set-top box itself and will position it to compete with the likes of Amazon Fire TV and the Apple TV.

Devices:

There’s isn’t enough evidence to support rumors that Google may also unveil a new Nexus device at I/O 2014. Recent leaks have hinted at the existence of a 9-inch Nexus tablet but it really can’t be said for sure if Google has any plans of making it official next week.

This is all that the company is expected to talk about during its keynote at I/O 2014. Apart from that there are dozens of sessions scheduled where finer details about new software and upcoming features will be discussed with developers. We’ll have all of the information here for you so don’t forget to stop by.